Tuesday, May 26, 2015

MEMORIES OF CURZON ROAD APARTMENTS – THE ETERNAL “UNCLE”

MEMORIES OF CURZON ROAD APARTMENTS
A Real Life Story – The Eternal “uncle”
By
VIKRAM KARVE


Circa 1982

CURZON ROAD APARTMENTS NEW DELHI 

In 1982  as a newly married couple  we lived in Curzon Road Apartments on Kasturba Gandhi Marg near India Gate in New Delhi.

Me  my wife  and our puppy dog (a small Lhasa Apso Puppy Dog given to us as a wedding gift) – all three of us lived in our neat cosy one room apartment with a small kitchenette and a lovely balcony high up on the top floor.

One evening  while on her way back home from work  my wife went to the convenience store to buy milk.

The shopkeeper told her that her father had already bought milk a few minutes ago.

My wife was delighted at the unexpected visit of her father  so she rushed to our house.

On not seeing her father around  my wife asked me, “Where is Daddy?”

“Your Daddy? He must be in Srinagar,” I said.  

“No. Daddy has come here,” she said.

“Who told you?” I asked.

“The shopkeeper,” she said.

“Really? Let’s go down and ask him,” I said.

So we went down  and we asked the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper pointed towards me and said, “He took the milk. I thought he was your father.”

“He is my husband,” my wife said, pointing at me.

“I am sorry, Sir  but I was really mistaken,” the shopkeeper said apologetically to me.

Then the shopkeeper smiled at my wife and said to her, “Madam  you look so young – you look just like a schoolgirl  and your husband looks so mature – so I thought your husband was your father.”

It was true. 

When we were married  my wife looked very young  just like a schoolgirl. 

She was 21  and I was 25.

And though the shopkeeper hadn’t spelt it out in so many words  I did look a bit older than my 25 years  with my “healthy” built  and my formidable beard.

Unlike the so-called “metrosexual” men of today  I like to be who I am  so I don’t believe in “cosmetic engineering”.

I believe in the “old-mould” idea that a man must look like a man  tough and masculine  and though hygiene and grooming are important  there is no need for a man to be excessively obsessed about his looks.

Of course  whereas having an appropriate dress sense and wearing good quality clothes is a must  there is no need for a man to “deck up”.

That’s why  when the first strand of grey hair appeared on my head when I was in my mid 40’s  I never used hair-dye  nor did I colour my copious beard when it started greying.

Of course  I must say here  that my wife too has a natural look  and she hardly uses any cosmetics  and she has never coloured her hair.

The fact of the matter was that my wife did indeed look much younger than me.

And I did indeed look a bit “mature” – as the shopkeeper had said.

Period.

So  even in those days  when a pretty young girl called me “uncle”  I did not mind it very much. 

Maybe  for pretty young girls  I did indeed look like an “uncle”.


30 YEARS LATER

Circa 2012

PUNE 

This happened 3 years ago in Pune.

My wife was getting off an auto-rickshaw. 

The fare was 52 rupees. 

My wife gave the auto-rickshaw driver a 50 rupee note  and she was desperately searching in her purse for a 2 rupee coin.

The auto driver said magnanimously to my wife, “Never mind Ajji – it is okay if you don’t give me the two rupees.”

Now  in Marathi  the word AJJI means GRANDMOTHER.

I cannot begin to describe the emotion of elation I felt when I heard this.

And just imagine  pretty young girls still call me “uncle”.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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Disclaimer:
1. This story is a spoof, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. This story and all stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

This story writen by me Vikram Karve in 2012 and posted by me online earlier at urls http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/08/am-i-ageless-wonder.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/01/the-eternal-uncle.html

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